PH Ambassador Meets Top Brass of Le Cordon Bleu Paris

Philippine Ambassador to France Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro is warmly received by officials of Le Cordon Bleu Paris, (from R-L) Executive Chef Éric Briffard MOF, Chef Fabrice Danniel and Chef Philippe Groult MOF, on 14 June 2018. (Paris PE photo)

PARIS 28 June 2018 – Leading up to the latest cultural diplomacy project of the Philippine Embassy in Paris to promote Filipino cuisine, Philippine Ambassador to France Maria P. Theresa Lazaro paid a visit to Le Cordon Bleu Paris on 14 June 2018 to meet for the first time the culinary school’s top officials.

Ambassador Lazaro received a warm welcome from Le Cordon Bleu’s Executive Chef Éric Briffard, Chef Fabrice Danniel, and Chef Philippe Groult, as well as its events/communications coordinator Ms. Catherine Baschet and Mr. Charles Cointreau, who is in charge of business development in Asia.

Also present were two Filipino employees of Le Cordon Bleu, Mr. Anton Pages and Ms. Jurie Anne Feleo.

“My visit is indeed timely, as we have received the good news that Le Cordon Bleu will be opening its school in the Philippines this September at the Ateneo de Manila University. I know there are already a number of Philippine alumni from Le Cordon Bleu Paris, which will soon include the currently-enrolled lone Filipina student. With the new school opening in Manila, we can definitely anticipate the number of Philippine students and future alumni to increase tenfold,“ Ambassador Lazaro said.

“I am pleased to meet today Mr. Charles Cointreau, the son of Le Cordon Bleu’s president and CEO Mr. André Cointreau, who will be in charge of opening Le Cordon Bleu Philippines,” the Ambassador said.

Ambassador Lazaro added that, “As a prelude to this, the Embassy has arranged for Philippine cuisine to be taught for the first time at Le Cordon Bleu Paris. Five days from now, Filipina Chef Myrna Segismundo and her culinary team will be flying in from Manila to do a Philippine cooking demonstration for the students and chef-instructors. I am sure that the hardworking Filipino employees of Le Cordon Bleu will be pleased to join me in welcoming the team and will be as proud as I am to share with the school some of the finest Philippines dishes that will be on showcase then.”

Mr. Cointreau gave Ambassador Lazaro a guided tour of the school’s facilities, showing the Ambassador the room where the Philippine cooking demonstration would be held as well as the herb and vegetable garden found at the rooftop.

As a gesture of appreciation for the warm reception and the newly-formed partnership of Le Cordon Bleu with the Philippine Embassy, Ambassador Lazaro gave Mr. Cointreau a copy of the Philippine cookbook, “Kulinarya,” which was co-authored by Chef Segismundo along with other well-known Filipino chefs. Mr. Cointreau likewise gave the Ambassador one the school’s classic cookbooks on patisserie.

Le Cordon Bleu was founded in Paris in 1895, and is considered today as the largest network of culinary and hospitality schools in the world. More than 35 institutes in 20 countries, and 20,000 students of over 100 nationalities are trained every year in the world-renowed culinary school. END

For more information, visit  www.parispe.dfa.gov.ph or http://www.facebook.com/PHinFrance/ https://twitter.com/PHinFrance

Chef Fabrice Danniel and Mr. Charles Cointreau show Ambassador to France Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro Le Cordon Bleu’s rooftop herb and vegetable. (Paris PE photo)

Ambassador to France Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro donates the Philippine cookbook entitled "Kulinarya" to Mr. Charles Cointreau, in charge of Business Development of Le Cordon Bleu Paris. He will be opening the Le Cordon Bleu at Ateneo de Manila University later this year. (Paris PE photo)